The Paris Opera Ballet...

Our young lady is a very lucky one! She was given the most wonderful opportunity by her Aunt and Uncle, to go and see the Paris Opera Ballet! Today. As far as I know, this ballet company is the oldest and longest running Ballet company in the world and they only choose one city, in the world, outside Paris, to visit, once a year. Brisbane, Queensland, is this years recipient! Yay!!

The tickets are very hard to come by (and really, REALLY, expensive!) with 30% of ticket sales going to those flying into Brissy from overseas and around the country. Tahlia's gift was for her ninth birthday, in May.

She has been excited about this amazing event since the beginning of May...planning everything from how her hair will look, to what she might like to wear! Also as part of her birthday gift, Mark and I decided she could choose a new outfit. She had decided on the colours pink/purple and black well before we found the dress.... (Do you know how hard that combination was to come by! LOL!!)....

.... and it had to be suitable for such a momentous occasion! This is what we found. She loved the detail of the tulle over the pink satin.

And what could be better than wearing little ballet flats to go to the ballet! Now all she had to do was wait and try not to get too overwhelmed.

I will update and post more photos later. Hopefully they will be from outside the theatre.

Apology...

I hate to say it....but I am really slowing down at the moment. I have no photos, no new layouts and all I really want to to do is sit back and rest! Lol!! I guess that is really no surprise to most of you considering I only have two weeks today, for baby #4 to arrive.

So....I ask you to bare with me for the next little while. I will try to post again...soonish, with maybe something interesting *insert grin*! Wish me luck!

Create...and a birthday wish or two...

Today is a special day for my little niece, Leah... She is turning ONE today! And it is also a special day for our dear friend, Lorraine... We are sending them both big hugs and kisses along with a little something in the mail! We hope you both have a wonderful day!

(Sorry Lorraine, same photo as last year!)

Today I have had a little time to create as well. It's nice to be able to sit back and just see layouts come together...

The first layout is for Tahlia...

She is very conscious of being a big sister at the moment and especially being the ONLY sister, now that she has a new baby brother on the way... I just wanted to let her know what an amazing job she does with her younger brothers. Not just playing with and entertaining them, but teaching and guiding them too...

The second layout is one for Ethan, and his latest little saying, which happens to be "On Friday..."

You see, according to Ethan, everything happens on a Friday, regardless of what day it is. It can be hockey, (which is on a Friday!), to Ballet, (on a Tuesday), to going to the toilet! LOL!! What ever it is, it happened or will happen "on Friday".

The last layout for today is again about Ethan and his boyish habit of collecting sticks...

He has a new found enthusiasm for them since we've been camping. He will often pick up a stick in his travels and call it his "marshmallow" stick or his "chopping" stick... I don't mind this fascination he has at the moment as long as his "chopping" stick stays close to the ground!

An epic week...

It has been an absolute crazy week, full of the unusual and unexpected... The first half of the week had me spending time in hospital for observation due to some complications with this pregnancy. It is mostly all good now and has me feeling somewhat rested...which is a good thing considering both Tahlia and Liam had their school "Sports Days".

It really should be put to parents on a flyer, as a warning that "Sports Day", in reality is "Sports Week". Tahlia had events starting Tuesday, as Monday was a public holiday, followed by heats on Wednesday, with the main events and finals being completed on Friday. Liam only had one day of running and ball games, which coincidentally happen to be...Thursday!

To say that we have some very tired children this weekend is a bit of an understatement! And they managed to finish off their sporty week by going to hockey practise on Friday afternoon.

Today was spent a little more leisurely. We went to a local park where the natives hang out...

... (can you see the koala in the tree?) ...and let the kids run around a little bit more! Well, run, ride and spin!

It was nice to sit back and relax after such a busy week... Not a lot of scrapping done, but I now have plenty of photos to supplement the habit!

Some randomness...

Just a few random shots from around the house, taken in the last day or two...

Ethan showing me his share of skittles...

Tahlia wanting her apron strings tied, so she can clean her bedroom without getting "dusty"!

The home-made pancakes, the kids ask for almost every morning...


And some tulips Mark bought for me today...

I want to try and capture the day to day things... Not just the outstanding and exciting moments. I might have to set myself a challenge just to be in the mind frame and look at the ordinary from a different angle. Wish me luck...

I've been tagged!...

The lovely Nicole, has tagged me and now I have been request to answer these questions....and then of course, tag 8 other bloggers. Here goes....

Q1. What are 8 things you look forward to:

1. Getting to the end of this pregnancy in a reasonably healthy condition!
2. Meeting our newest family member next month.
3. Having the energy to spend quality time with my three other children.
4. Creating.
5. Chilly mornings where you can just sit back with a steaming cup of cocoa and a blanket wrapped around your shoulders.
6. Camping.
7. Family holidays and adventures.
8. Sleeping comfortably for a full night.

Q2. What were 8 things you did yesterday:

1. Washing, washing and more washing.
2. Wrestled with Ethan to have a nap.
3. Took the kids to the bus stop and then picked them up from school that afternoon.
4. Blogged.
5. Chatted with my MIL on the phone.
6. House work....yuck!
7. Rested.
8. Edited some photos.

Q3. What are the 8 things you wish you could do:

1. Travel more frequently overseas...*sigh*
2. Have financial freedom.
3. Put my feet up without having the housework beckon me.
4. Write a children's story.
5. Lie on my stomach! hehehe
6. Tell my dietitian what I think of her rules... but I'm too polite!
7. Spend more time with my friends.
8. Click my fingers and have everything go right.

Q4. Name 8 things or shows you've watched lately:

1. My daughter's ballet rehearsal.
2. Castle (Channel 7)
3. My kids splashing in the rain.
4. The News.
5. Master Chef (Channel 10)
6. Tahlia paint my toes...
7. GNW ( Channel 10)
8. The Mentalist (Channel 9)

And here are the 8 blogs I am tagging. Play along if you want to...

Elise
Nic
Lisa
Angie
Sheree
Leanne
Tatum
Christine

Have a great day.

Create...

Some more layouts to share...

Just thought I'd post these today before I run out of steam... Although, I do have a new batch of photos to play with....and my sewing machine is still sitting out... Lol!

I have been hit with inspiration from the Studio Calico blog to create some of these fantastic pinwheels...

I just love them. They are so easy to make and I'm sure more of them will find their way to my layouts...

The second layout is for the Journal It challenge...

SORRY OUT FOR

PUBLICATION!

In other news, Liam won the prestigious "Student of the Month" award last Wednesday. Needless to say, we a super proud of him. It was a goal he set for himself, and he is thriving in his Grade One class.

Under 8's week is coming up soon and the week after that we have a series of intra-school sports days. Yes, I said days.... Tahlia, now being in middle school (Grade 4) has a separate and more diverse range of sporting events to compete in, as compared to Liam in the junior school. *sigh* At least last year I was able to see all the events for both kids, on the one day!! Wish me luck (and plenty of energy!! hehehe)!